Texters to protect card vs Batang Pier

MANILA, Philippines – TNT KaTropa tries to hang on to solo lead as it goes up against a surging GlobalPort squad while San Miguel Beer and Meralco fight for an outright playoff entry in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

Stopped by the Mahindra Enforcers the last time out, the Texters hope to recover and regain their winning ways as they take on the Batang Pier who are hot on a three-game run.

They clash at 4:15 p.m. preceding the 7 p.m. tiff between the Beermen and the Bolts, corporate rivals gunning for the fourth quarterfinals berth.

The Beermen field in temporary import sub Mike Singletary in place of the injury-hit AZ Reid as they try to regain a piece of second place with the Enforcers and the Barangay Ginebra Kings at 6-2.

Singletary is a PBA veteran with a previous tour of duty in the local pro league with the defunct Barako Bull team. He was also one of the Mighty Sports imports in the recent Jones Cup in Taipei.

Meralco, right behind San Miguel at 5-3, is raring to slug it out with Singletary and the Beermen in pursuit of a Top Four aspiration.

“We just have to keep on winning if we’re to finish in the Top Four,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

Going into the homestretch of the elims, the fight for the Magic Four that reward a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarters seems down among TNT, Mahindra, Ginebra, San Miguel and Meralco.

They figure in crucial duels in the next few days with Meralco closing out its elims stint against San Miguel, Star and Mahindra while TNT will be up against GlobalPort, San Miguel, Star and Ginebra.

GlobalPort is back in playoff contention following victories over Meralco, San Miguel and Rain or Shine.

Coach Jong Uichico’s main concern is how to contain the dynamic duo of Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle.

San Miguel, meanwhile, is back in the hunt for the twice-to-beat quarters privilege after a 106-103 win over Alaska that the Beermen pulled off minus an import.

Another win versus Meralco will get San Miguel back to joint second with Mahindra and Barangay Ginebra at 6-2.

But the Beermen face a Meralco side riding the momentum of back-to-back wins over Blackwater and NLEX.